Football League World
·8 Agustus 2025
Exclusive: Stoke City secure Spurs transfer "coup" - Sky Sports man is wowed

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Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·8 Agustus 2025
After an impressive League One season last time out, Stoke have done well to secure the Northern Irishman's services.
Jamie Donley is Stoke City's latest addition ahead of the new Championship season.
The Tottenham Hotspur youngster was always going to be highly sought-after following his first EFL season last time. He was one of the standout players in Richie Wellens' Leyton Orient side that made it to the play-off final, having, at one point, been relegation candidates early in the term.
In League One, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder clocked 18 combined goals and assists. West Bromwich Albion wanted to sign him, but it was the Potters who convinced him to link up with his Spurs academy teammate Ashley Phillips at the bet365 Stadium.
Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie is really excited by this signing. He feels that Stoke have missed a player of Donley's ability and talent in recent seasons, and that he will be a welcome addition to Mark Robins' squad.
"[It's a] massive coup for Stoke City," Hendrie exclusively told Football League World. "Jamie Donley, I know it's just that loan spell, but when you get the likes of Premier League talented young individuals like him, I think it just sets a bit of a statement, really, of where and what they're trying to attract at the football club.
"[He's a] young player who can play along that forward line. His main position is more playing as a 10, but he can play out on the left and the right. And I think it is a really good signing.
"It might be something that Stoke have needed for quite some time, someone who can go in there and really ignite and set that place alight.
"It's a tough place to go into. But lots of these youngsters are very confident in their own ability and hopefully that's the case for him and he goes and sets Stoke City alight."
The Potters have done some really good work in the loan market so far this summer. As well as their deals with Spurs to sign Donley and Phillips, they have also secured the services of Manchester City youngster Divin Mubama for the 2025/26 campaign.
He has European experience with West Ham United under his belt, on top of some Premier League appearances. Again, like with Donley, they beat one of their Championship rivals - Ipswich Town, this time - to Mubama.
Loans can be so important for clubs who are fighting to work their way up the table. They can offer regular game time to these talented youngsters.
The good thing about Stoke's position is that they aren't at risk, as much, of losing any of them to a higher-ranking EFL team in the winter window, simply because there aren't as many teams above them in the pecking order, compared to being in League One or Two.
The aforementioned trio could be real drivers behind Stoke's success, if they are to have an improved campaign.